Closest To Heaven II: We're Halfway There
by JazaraRose
Summary: When friendships are put to the test and deadly secrets are revealed, can Inuyasha and the gang face their painful pasts in order to make it to a brighter future?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Reunited And It Feels (Not) So Good  
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><p>A young woman with long raven hair stepped through the automatic doors of the small town airport. Her chocolate eyes took in the familiar sight of the place where she was born and raised. She smiled at the sky as all the wonderful memories of her childhood came rushing back. It was good to finally be home.<p>

"Kagome!" Turning her head at the sound of her best friend's voice Kagome Higurashi was engulfed in the iron grip of her childhood friend Sango Arai.

"Sango...I can't breathe." The two girls laughed as Sango loosened her grip.

"Kagome, it's so good to see you. I've missed you so much." Helping Kagome with her bags the girls piled into Sango's car heading to her place.

"I missed you too Sango. We have so much catching up to do!"

"Ugh tell me about it! How was Ghana?" After nursing school Kagome had been accepted into a prestigious program that allowed graduating nursing students to travel to Africa, and help the underprivileged receive proper medical care. It was the trip of a lifetime for Kagome.

"Enough about me, what about you? I hear your organization is really starting to pick up." Although Sango had originally planned on going to school for her teaching degree, losing their friend Kikyou had awakened something in her, and so after earning her masters in domestic/sexual abuse counseling she started the Kikyou Hayashi foundation for suicide prevention. They'd raised thousands of dollars over the years and were even opening a home for runaway teens looking for refuge away from their abusive homes.

"You know Miroku just came home from France. His short film was nominated for an award at the Cannes Film Festival! He didn't win, but he said it was an honor just to be able to go." Sango said smiling proudly at her fiancee's accomplishments.

The two friends continued to catch up as they parked and walked to Sango's apartment. "Well this is my humble abode." Sango said directing Kagome where to put her bags.

"Is that you my beautiful fiancee? I've been waiting for you to return!" Kagome turned around, ready to greet her longtime friend and got the shock of her life when she found Miroku standing in the living room butt naked with nothing but a rose in mouth.

"OH MY GOD!" Kagome screamed, blushing furiously. "I didn't see anything, I promise!" She said laughing.

"Miroku! Did you forget that Kagome was staying with us? Go put some damn clothes on!" Peaking through her fingers Kagome watched as Sango slowly counted down from ten trying to get her temper under control. She couldn't help but laugh at her friends antics. It was nice to know some things always remain the same.

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><p>Inuyasha sat in the last seat in the corner of the train, looking out the window watching as the world passed him by. He was on his way home for the first time since he graduated high school and even though he should be excited, which he was, he was nervous as all hell.<p>

He'd been an idiot as a kid. Reckless, leaving destruction in his path and not caring about the collateral damage left in his wake. Maybe it was the result of growing too fast without parents and a shitty guardian who didn't give a rat's ass about you, but somewhere along the way he'd decided that he didn't wanna be that reckless kid anymore. Though his temper was still one to be reckoned with, for the most part he'd changed.

Inuyasha had finally grown up and become a man.

Halfway through his freshman year at university he realized school wasn't for him. High school was mandatory but college was optional and he decided to opt out. He traveled for a while. Living here and there, and seeing what the world had to offer.

A year after that he joined the military and had been traveling the world ever since. He loved it and it gave him structure. The one thing he'd been missing all his life.

Stepping off the train Inuyasha inhaled the air that somehow always reminded him of home. Picking up his bags, he heard her before he saw her. Using his trained military reflexes Inuyasha caught Kagome around her waist as she tackled him to the ground.

"Kagome you're cutting off my windpipe." He said hoarsely.

"Oh sorry! I'm just so happy to see you." She said with tears in her eyes. He reached up to wipe her tears and tell her how much he hated to see her cry, when her tiny fist slugged him in the shoulder.

"Ow wench, what was that for?"

"For not calling or writing you big jerk! I had to find out from Anna down the hall that you dropped out. Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?"

Looking sheepishly at his feet Inuyasha rubbed the back of his neck in nervousness. "I didn't want you to stop me I guess. I just really needed to leave Kagome. You know...find myself and all that shit." He looked up at her half expecting her to still be angry, but instead he found her smiling at him and he knew that all was right in their world.

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><p>"So this is all yours now, huh?" Kagome said setting down one of Inuyasha's bags in his childhood home.<p>

"Yeah it is. You know I didn't think it'd take Sesshomaru dying for him to show me some mercy. When I got a letter saying that he'd left this house for me I thought it was some sick joke, but I guess it wasn't."

Two years after Inuyasha graduating from high school he'd received a letter from the local hospital. There'd been a fatal car crash involving his brother and he was Sesshomaru's only next of kin. News of his brother's death had brought more confusion to his life than closure. He'd wished the bastard dead a million times while growing up, yet to actually know that he was dead...he didn't really know how to feel about it.

"I know you and Sesshomaru weren't close but I'm sorry for you loss. When my mom told me I tried to reach out to you, but I...couldn't find you."

"I was in Germany when it happened. If I hadn't given the university a forwarding address I don't think they would have found me either." Inuyasha said somberly. "You know if you want you can always crash here, unless you want another peep show from Miroku." Inuyasha said laughing at Kagome's obvious embarrassment.

"Take me not punching you as a thank you." Kagome said smiling back at him. "Okay! Hurry and change and meet us at Totosai's. I wonder if he'll still be expecting us to show up with our fake IDs." Kagome said laughing.

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><p>Miroku and Inuyasha sat at the bar, watching as a drunk Sango and Kagome danced their hearts out in the middle of the floor. Neither of the women were very coordinated, but Miroku certainly had no qualms about watching his beloved fiancee shake her money maker for all she was worth.<p>

"It's been five years and you still haven't learned to keep it in your pants, have you lech?" Inuyasha said as he took a swig of his jack and coke.

"Hey I learned to keep it in my pants! Just not when it comes to Sango." Miroku finished with a wink and a sly smirk. "Yo I'm sorry about Sesshomaru." Inuyasha waved it off taking the last sip of his drink and ordering another. His dark eyes wondered to the pale beauty dancing with the same smile he rarely saw her without.

"So you gonna keep starting at her all night, or are you gonna tell me what happened between you two?" Miroku said trading his empty beer for a full one.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Inuyasha said blushing at being caught staring.

"Sure you don't. Don't worry my friend we've got nothing but time, you'll tell me eventually."

"Bartender, I need two long islands stat!" Sango yelled over counter, Kagome taking up a seat beside her.

"You know we're not seventeen anymore. You're gonna regret that in the morning, plus Kagome's always been a lightweight." Inuyasha said smugly dodging the coaster Kagome aimed at his head.

"Hmm I beg to differ. Kagome's always known how to party." A deep voice said from over Inuyasha's shoulder. Turning his head Inuyasha was met by a guy with sandy brown hair who had a face that screamed mama's boy. Before Inuyasha could ask who the fuck this guy thought he was, Kagome was running past him and jumping to the fool's arms...and then she kissed him.

"Oh my god Hojo! What are you doing here?"

"I called your mom because I wanted to surprise you. I thought you were still at the university but she said you were coming to visit for awhile and I wanted to see you." He said sweetly.

"Is someone gonna tell me who the fuck this guy is?" Inuyasha said, while receiving a smack on the head from Sango.

Kagome blushed as the doe eyed man slowly slipped her from his arms and back onto the floor. Clearing her throat, Kagome blushed intensified as she dropped a bomb on her friends, that no one was expecting.

"Everyone this is Hojo. My fiancee."

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><p><strong>I've had this story in my head for sooo long, but I hadn't had any ideas on how to start, so please excuse how short this chapter is. Not sure where I'm going with this yet, but I hope I've got people out there willing to come along for the ride.<br>**

**Please don't forget to REVIEW!  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Revelations & Disappointments  
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><p>Light filtered in through the partially closed blinds, slowly beginning to illuminate the room. The beams hit Kagome in the face as the sun steadily rose higher in the sky. Rolling over to escape the pesky rays she collided with a soft body next to her. Blinking open her eyes she took the time to study the man next to her while he slept. Hojo was a good man. They'd met her sophomore year in their anatomy class, him premed and her nursing. She was struggling and he always seemed to have the right answers. She'd never know if he offered to tutor her because he actually felt bad for or because he was attracted to her, but she was grateful none the less. I'd taken him almost a month to gain the courage to ask her out and they'd been pretty much inseparable ever since.<p>

Brushing his sandy bangs from his face, Kagome wondered what she'd done in another life to receive the affections of such a gentle and caring man. She loved Hojo with everything in her and the day he'd asked her to marry him had been the happiest day of her life but it was in moments like these, when the world was quiet and her thoughts couldn't be silenced, when she wondered if spending the rest of her life with Hojo was the right choice.

He was smart, funny, charming, everything any girl could want in a life partner, but deep down she couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. Her thoughts drifted to a time when she'd thought she _knew_ who'd she be spending her life with, when she'd given her heart so freely to someone that she never thought there would ever be anyone else who could make her feel the way he did. Her relationship with Inuyasha had ended just as quickly as it had started and to be honest Kagome wasn't quite sure whose fault it was. Maybe a little of both? In the end she had been the one to call it quits and to this day her heart still ached when she thought about it.

They were practically glued to the hip in the months after graduation. Her dreams had finally come true. She was Inuyasha's girlfriend, he'd openly admitted to caring for her and nothing could of made her happier. Except he never told he loved her, they'd make love and he wouldn't hold her afterwards. He'd simply look up at the ceiling quietly brooding for hours. The worst of it all was the way he looked at her sometimes, with such soul crushing pity and sorrow, and she had started wondering if he was even looking at her at all. When they'd started dating the wounds Kikyou's suicide had left them with were still too fresh and the trauma of her miscarriage had been what brought them together. Towards the end of their freshman year Kagome decided that wasn't enough. They both needed more time to heal and maybe then they could try again, but Inuyasha dropped out and Hojo came along.

"If you keep starting at me like that I'm gonna start to think something's wrong." Hojo's voice brought her from her thoughts and she smiled at him.

"Well I have been feeling pretty under the weather lately Dr. Akiktoki. I just don't know what's wrong with me. I'm always so..._hot_." She sighed dramatically and began to fan herself. She peaked at her fiancee from beneath her lashes and smirked when she saw him lick his lips and his eyes begin to darken.

"Oh I think I know _just_ what you need to fix that." He was on her in a second and they both thoroughly enjoyed the start to their morning...twice.

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><p>Kagome descended the stairs quickly, the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen reeling her in. She watched as Inuyasha dutifully flipped several pancakes while also frying multiple pieces of bacon. Before she even had time to announce her presence, said man turned toward her and gave her a small smile.<p>

"Mornin', you want some breakfast?" She nodded eagerly and took a seat at the counter. Inuyasha served her first and then made a plate for himself. Sitting next to her the two ate in companionable silence, only sounds of their forks against their plates echoed throughout the kitchen. Being the monster eater that he was, Inuyasha was the first to finish. Soon after finishing her plate Kagome wondered over to the sink to being to help him with the dishes.

Kagome's mother called earlier that morning inviting her over for dinner, and demanding that she bring Inuyasha with her. The two had gotten close when Inuyasha lived with them in high school. She supposed it was nice for him to get some type of motherly figure back in his life. After agreeing the two once again slipped into silence, until Inuyasha spoke up moments later.

"Is Hojo still here?" The tone of his voice had Kagome looking up at him. To anyone who didn't know Inuyasha as well she did, it would have gone unnoticed but she knew better. His tone was resigned with a mix of irritation and anger thrown in.

"No he's gone. Is him coming over a problem?" Inuyasha had been kind enough to let her stay here and she didn't want to impose.

"Nope, just as long you two keep it down next time." He laughed at the hot blush that stained her cheeks. She had always been so easy to tease.

"S-sorry." She sputtered out. She was mortified and she knew he'd never let her live this down. Her embarrassment was quickly turning to anger as Inuyasha continued to laugh at her. She turned to him pouting and her arms folded under her breasts. Quickly Inuyasha patted her on the shoulder and apologized for laughing.

"It's not really your fault," he said turning to leave the kitchen, "you always were a screamer." Laughing once more he barely dodged the frying pan coming his way.

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><p>Kagome didn't speak to him again until they reached her childhood home. Her mother greeted them both warmly with hugs and cheek kisses. She expressed her grief at his brother's passing and told him how worried she'd been when Kagome informed her of his decision to leave school, scolding him lightly for not telling anyone where he'd gone. When he told her he left to join the military she praised him and he blushed.<p>

Inuyasha had always looked to Ms. Higurashi as the mother he'd missed out on having while growing up, and though he'd never admit it to anyone her opinion of him mattered. She'd allowed him into her home, adding another to mouth feed onto her already full plate. But she never made him feel like a burden and he'd be forever grateful to her for the unbelievable amount of kindness and care she showed him.

Even as he became reacquainted with a now teenage Souta, he felt as though he'd never missed a beat with the Higurashi family. The only one missing was Grampa Higurashi. Kagome told him that he'd died a few years earlier, the Alzheimer's finally doing him in. He actually missed the old geezer (another thing he'd never admit to anyone). His mood immediately went south with there a knock on the door and he heard Souta greet Hojo. Didn't the guy have anything better to do than hang around Kagome all day?

He tried not to let his sour mood show on his face, but everyone knew him too well. He watched as Hojo helped Ms. Higurashi with the finishing touches for dinner and told a joke that made her laugh. During dinner Hojo had taken his usual spot next to Kagome, which put him in Gramp's old seat next to Souta. He inwardly fumed when the prick whispered something in Kagome's ear and made her blush as she jokingly hit him in the shoulder. Then after he had to watch the kiss ass offer to help Kagome's mom with dishes and play video games with Souta.

Inuyasha chose to believe he didn't know why Hojo's presence bothered him so much, but he knew. He was jealous. He felt replaced and cast aside whenever Hojo was around, especially when it came to Kagome. He hadn't wanted to believe that Kagome had really moved on from him. Hojo's title of 'fiancee' and the huge rock on Kagome's finger should of been the proverbial nail in the coffin, but it hadn't really hit home until he heard them going at it this morning. That thought alone made him blister with anger and the fact that he really didn't have a right to be angry, only made him angrier.

Inuyasha thought on his failed relationship with Kagome. They'd been so happy at first, but after the dust had settled on their whirlwind romance everything went to shit. Maybe they were star crossed lovers and their relationship was doomed from the beginning. They'd both been through a lot that year and he'd hoped that they could heal each other, but in the end that had only resulted in more pain for the both of them. Was it fair of him to lean on Kagome to repair the pieces of his tattered soul when he hadn't even tried to do the same in return? He'd always been greedy with Kagome's love, taking more than he gave, and in the end it had ruined them.

As Inuyasha drove them both home, he stole a glance at her as he stopped at a red light. She'd fallen asleep with her head leaning heavily in her hand. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and her breathing was light. He didn't think he'd ever seen anyone look more peaceful in his life and not for the first time he wished he could be like that, but the pain and mistakes of his past still haunted him in more ways than one. The day that Kagome had dumped him he'd been planning on apologizing to her, telling her how much he cared about her and how if only she could find it in her heart to give him a second chance she wouldn't regret it.

But she had given up on him and ultimately he gave up on himself. He tried to lick his wounds, be a man and find the courage to get her back, but he talked himself out of it every time. Eventually he realized he wasn't worthy of her and he never would be. Kagome had broken it off with him because she'd finally wised up and realized it too. It was too much for him to take so he did the cowardly thing and took off. Maybe the reason Kagome's engagement hurt him so much because deep down he'd been hoping she would wait for him.

But she hadn't and now it was too late.

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><p><strong>Still taking this story one chapter at a time, thank you to the people right there along with me. <strong>

**Don't forget to REVIEW!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Crosses To Bear  
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><p>A dark haired woman walked down the street on autopilot, not caring about the world around her. She payed just enough attention not cause any accidents, but asking for anymore than would've been too much. She was like this on days like today. She stopped in a small flower shop, the owner had come to know her well, and handed her the usual bouquet she picked up. She quickly payed and continued on her monotonous journey, stopping only when she reached her destination.<p>

She pushed open the familiar iron gates, and followed her routine path. Soon she stood in front of a small headstone. She pulled away the already withering flowers she had placed there last week and replaced them the fresh ones she bought. Kneeling, she lit a candle and said a small prayer for the girl's soul. Her dark eyes pooled with tears and her throat burned with the effort to hold them back. This girl didn't deserve to have her final resting place tainted with her tears, she didn't deserve to even be here. She should've been alive, living her life, finding a husband, starting a family and being happy. She should've graduated high school.

"Kikyou...can you ever forgive me?" The salty product of her guilt flowed down her cheeks, and she quickly wiped them away. Kagura Fujiwari had never been one for weak displays of emotion. Her father had taught her early on that emotions were for the weak. He told her that the world was a cruel, evil place, and in order to survive you had to be twice as cruel and twice as ruthless.

Naraku was her only parent and she liked to think that he cared for her in his own, twisted way. As a child and well into her teens she'd been desperate for his love and approval, willing to do anything just so he would pay attention to her. So when he started teaching her the ways of the underground drug trade when she was ten, Kagura felt special. Her father trusted her with something very important to him and she didn't want to fail him. So when he told her he needed more foot soldiers on the street, she readily agreed when he asked her to recruit kids from her high school.

Her father quickly skilled her in the art of people reading, teaching her how to find their weaknesses and exploit them. He was a master manipulator and soon his daughter was following in his foot steps.

Kikyou Hayashi had been her first victim.

She watched the girl for weeks, trying to gain as much info about her prey as possible. She looked up Kikyou's address in the school directory and doubted the ritzy neighborhood listed was where she truly lived, especially considering Kagura had witnessed her paying for her lunch in quarters the previous day. She trailed Kikyou home that day, and followed her all the way to her dump of an apartment. She lived in a pretty sketchy neighborhood right outside the school district, but Kagura watched the girl greet walk in and a young girl, no more than six years old, she knew she'd found her ace and approached Kikyou at school the next day.

**XXXX**

_"Kikyou! Hey, Kikyou wait up!" Turning at the sound of the her name, the dark haired freshman was greeted by her fellow classmate Kagura Fujiwari._

_"Hi Kagura, what's up?" The two girls had homeroom together, but they had never said more than two words to each other._

_"Nothing much. I saw you walking and was wondering if you wanted to have lunch together?" She smiled brightly, wanting to appear friendly and inviting._

_"Uh, I usually have lunch with my friends." Kikyou let her sentence trail off, not wanting to seem rude and tell her no outright. _

_"Well there's nothing wrong with having more friends ya know! Come on just have lunch with me today, I promise it'll be fun." Finally she relented and the two girls were off. In the end Kikyou did have a good time. Kagura was witty and funny, definitely more mature than other kids their age._

_"Is that all you're gonna eat?" Kagura said munching on her sandwich, while Kikyou took a dainty bite of the apple in front of her._

_"Yeah, I'm not very hungry today." Kikyou said, blushing when her growling stomach contradicted her. She'd given the last of her money to her sister Kaede, so she could eat lunch at school. The apple had been the only thing in their apartment that hadn't gone bad._

_"Do you not have any money to buy lunch?" Kikyou stared down at the half eaten fruit, ashamed at her low financial status. _

_"No, not today. But don't worry about me Kagura." She looked up again when she felt Kagura grab her hands from across the table, sympathy shining bright in her dark eyes._

_"I can help you, if you want." Kagura said lowly. It was time to drop the bomb._

_"I don't know what you mean."_

_"I can help you get money silly! My dad is a business man and he's looking for...interns. I can put in a good word for you, and I promise you and your sister will never go hungry again."_

_Kikyou eyed her suspiciously, "How did you know about Kaede?" Kagura simply shook her head at that.  
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_"Does it matter? I can help you if you'll let me." Her grip on Kikyou's hands tightened, and she rubbed her thumb across the girl's knuckles in comfort. She saw the internal war raging inside the girl, and for a moment was worried Kikyou would turn her down._

_"Fine, what do I do?" Kagura smiled happily but the dark glint in her eyes marred the bright expression._

**XXXX**

Kagura covered her mouth to quiet her sobs as the memory slowly left her. She stared at the dirty graduation cap sitting on Kikyou's headstone, and it made her heart lurch. She'd ruined the girl's life and everyday the guilt ate away at her. Kikyou had been good at her job and soon became just as important to Naraku as Kagura was. They did many jobs together and after months of working together, they had become legitimate friends.

It'd been five years since Kikyou's death, five years of shame and disgrace sitting on her shoulders. Though Kagura had been raised to be heartless, Kikyou had shown her that she could have the best of both worlds. By night, she could be the ruthless daughter of the biggest drug lord in their state, but during the day she could simply be a teenage girl. One who wanted to be the best swimmer her school had ever seen, go to the movies with her friends, and excitingly wait for the guy of her dreams to ask her to prom.

She could be happy.

"I was wrong that day to turn you away. I chose be loyal to a man, who has done nothing but ruin my life since the day I was born, than to trust you. For that, I truly am sorry."

**XXXX**

_Kagura watched from behind the bleachers as Inuyasha ran after Kikyou. The girl had missed several days of school and she looked an absolute mess. Everyone had simply assumed she was still hurting over her and Inuyasha's devastating break up. They'd been so happy no one saw it coming. Everyone thought they were something straight out of a Nicholas Sparks novel. _

_She watched Kikyou slap Inuyasha and storm away, swiftly moving to follow her. _

_"Kikyou! Kikyou, hold on!" Kagura called out. Kikyou stopped, hands balled at her sides and her shoulders shaking. _

_"What do you want Kagura?" Her tone was low, resigned. She sounded tired, not physically but emotionally. She turned around and gone was the young, vivacious spirit Kagura had come to know. The light had dulled in the young girl's eyes, as if she'd lived in a thousand lifetimes in the last few days._

_"What did he do to you?" Kagura whispered more to herself, but the girl in front of her looked up at that and the rage that settled in her eyes was palpable._

_"You...you knew?" Kagura took a step back from the enraged girl, not sure how their thirty second conversation had taken this turn. _

_"Well, yeah everyone knows. Look Inuyasha's a dick for dumping you, but you look like hell Kikyou. You gotta start taking care of yourself again." The dark chuckle that escaped Kikyou's lips sent a chill down Kagura's spine, and she wasn't sure how to help this twisted creature that had once been her friend._

_"To hell with Inuyasha, this isn't about him anymore. No, this is about your sick bastard of a father." Kikyou spat._

_"What are you talking about?" Kagura said, her own ire rising. She knew her father was a shitty guy, but she'd defend him till her last breath and she didn't appreciate Kikyou bagging on him. _

_Kikyou didn't look as if she was going to tell her at all, her eyes shifted back and forth as the internal battle raged inside of her. She released a long sigh, finally deciding that Kagura was indeed her friend and if she could save her from the shit storm that was brewing...she would._

_"I'm going to the police tonight. I'm turning Naraku in. I'm only telling you as a warning. Get out while you can, hide out until everything blows over, but I'm taking Naraku down. I intend to fully end his life, the way he ended mine." Kikyou said. Kagura's eyes widened at that. Was Kikyou fucking stupid? White hot rage bloomed in her belly, and Kagura had to mentally restrain herself from harming the girl.  
><em>

_"You selfish bitch! What did my father ever do to you? End your life? If anything he saved it! His money is what keeps that shitty roof over your head, his money is what keeps your belly full at night, and it's his money that keeps your sister from dying of the common cold!"_

_She was breathing hard by the end of her tirade. Kagura knew throwing the fact that Kikyou's sister had HIV back in her face was vicious, even down right evil, but her father had always taught her to hit her enemies right were it hurt. And she was her father's child after all. The absolute look of betrayal on Kikyou's face made her inwardly cringe, and she hoped it didn't show on her face._

_"He raped me Kagura. He tricked me into coming to the house and he attacked me. Do you know what I've been going through since then? Your father took something from me that day, something that I'm never going to back. He broke me, and I'm getting my revenge...whether you like it or not."_

_"You're a liar! I know my father, he would never do something so underhanded and disgusting."_

_"Then I guess you don't know him as well as you thought. I'm leaving town after I go to the police, goodbye Kagura." The look of pity and sympathy Kikyou sent her as she turned to walk away set her blood on fire. How dare she look at her like that, like she was a victim!_

_That night when Kagura returned home, she warned Naraku of Kikyou's intent to betray him. He shook his sadly, stood from his desk, and grabbed a coat from the closet._

_"And I really liked this one too." Kagura hadn't understood what he meant by that. Kikyou was as high in his chain of command as she, so she simply figured he meant he now had the burden of finding someone else to groom in her place. He walked out the door and was gone for several hours, not returning until well after dinner. _

_She wanted to ask him what he'd done to her friend, but the look on his face as entered the house made her bite her tongue. He was in a bad mood and she certainly didn't want to be on the receiving end of that._

_All weekend, Kagura couldn't shake the sick feeling in her gut. She'd chalked it up to the stress of graduation finally getting to her, but she knew it was something else. Something bad was coming her way and she didn't know how to prepare or avoid it. _

**XXXX**

When they received news that Monday morning of Kikyou's death in the auditorium, her blood ran cold. The police had ruled it a suicide, but Kagura knew better. She should have known what ratting out Kikyou would've cost her. In her father's line of work, there was only one way to handle traitors.

You silence them.

Somehow she had hoped that Kikyou would be the exception to that rule. Laying her hand on the tombstone Kagura, bowed her head silently asking for forgiveness once more. Though she truly didn't deserve it.

"I've battled with myself for a long time, trying to figure out how to do the right thing. I always knew, but I was just too much of a coward to face you...and my father. But not anymore. You were my friend Kikyou, my only friend, and I betrayed you in the worst way. I let you down when you needed me most, but I promise you...I'm gonna make him burn."

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><p>Kagura walked down the street, stopping at the first payphone she could find. Stepping into the small box she brought up her hood to cover her face and made sure her sunglasses were secure in place. There were cameras everywhere and she couldn't afford for anyone to recognize her. She wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and reached into her purse for the appropriate change.<p>

She dialed the number she had been memorizing for the last five years. The phone rang and rang and she had half a mind to hang up and bolt. But that would be spitting on the promise she'd made to Kikyou and she couldn't do that, not again. So patiently she waited, and just when she actually thought no one would answer, the ringing finally stopped.

"Sacred City police department, this is Officer Jones, how may I help you?" Kagura gulped down the lump that had settled in her throat. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves, but every time she got ready to speak she choked.

"Look the police department is very busy, if this some kind of joke-"

"A murder." She finally said cutting off the irritated officer.

"Excuse me?"

"I'd like to report a murder."

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><p><strong>This story is probably going to be pretty short, maybe 10-15 chapters?<br>**

**Anyways, don't forget to REVIEW if you're enjoying so far!**


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